A few questions re: SWA

[sndral]

I've flown SWA but only short hop/one leg fights. This time I have an SFO -LAX (plane change) to MCO through Texas (no plane change.) Because these are such long flights I went ahead and grabbed EB.
Question 1: I've not done EB before, when/how do I print my boarding pass? With non EB you check in @ 24 hrs and print it, I know I can print it @ the airport, but I have a 6 am flight from SFO and would rather just have it done.
Question 2: My SFO/LAX plane change is tight - 45 minutes, how soon before departure @ LAX will boarding start? Will I be rushing to board late & thus lose the EB advantage because of how tight the connection is? Anybody know how big the SW gate area @ LAX is?
Question 3: W/ 8+ hours on/off planes, I'll get hungry, thoughts on food? 5 am will anything be open @ SFO? LAX probably not enough time to grab food, Texas won't be able to get off plane?
Question 4: If I get a bad seat out of LAX, can I move when we get to Texas?
thx.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. You can have your boarding pass printed at the airport kiosk or using your computer.

2 There is a good chance you will lose the boarding advantage of EBCI in LAX since there is a 1 in 4 chance your first flight will arrive more than 15 minutes late. But the EBCI will give you a better chance at the very start (SFO) of getting a seat up front so you will be off the plane to your connection more quickly.

4. You may change seats at the connection point (in Texas), you did not need EBCI to do this.

 

[Jestocost]

One note on printing the BPs. You can do it starting 24 hours before your flight. EBCI will check you in at 36 hours, but you can't see your boarding numbers or print out the BPs until the 24-hour mark (or any time thereafter). When and where you print will NOT affect your number.

 

[DebbieB]

The Southwest gate area at LAX is not that big. They share Terminal 1 with USAir, there are only 14 gates total between them. US is at the far end.

http://www.lawa.org/uploadedFiles/LAX/pdf/T1.pdf

 

[magicaldisney]

We are flying SW, also paid for EBCI and have a 30 minute stop with no plane change. On another thread someone said that even though there is no plane change they still make everyone get off the plane. Does anyone here know if that is true? If so, do we keep EBCI to get back on?

 

[sndral]

One note on printing the BPs. You can do it starting 24 hours before your flight. EBCI will check you in at 36 hours, but you can't see your boarding numbers or print out the BPs until the 24-hour mark (or any time thereafter). When and where you print will NOT affect your number.

Thx. I may not be near a computer hooked up to a printer in the 24 hrs. before. @ least coming home RAC can print the passes out for me.

The Southwest gate area at LAX is not that big. They share Terminal 1 with USAir, there are only 14 gates total between them. US is at the far end.

http://www.lawa.org/uploadedFiles/LAX/pdf/T1.pdf

Whew, I have far too many racing through airports/hopping on shuttles to make connections experiences. I was so focused on arriving @ MCO in time to make my CP ADR when I booked the flights I didn't notice the short connection @ LAX.

 

[Jestocost]

We are flying SW, also paid for EBCI and have a 30 minute stop with no plane change. On another thread someone said that even though there is no plane change they still make everyone get off the plane. Does anyone here know if that is true? If so, do we keep EBCI to get back on?

No. They will make you stay in your original seat until all of the debarking passengers are gone and the FAs have a count of the through passengers. Then you can move to better seats or whatever, but you don't have to get off.